Yale

THE PRESS

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED
November 3, 1931

Harvard's plan of taking collections for unemployment relief at the Dartmouth, Holy Cross, and Yale games this Fall shows that the hearts of at least most of the gentlemen up at Cambridge are in the right place. Though this method is quite unlikely to produce as much cash as the round robin scheduled for New Haven, it has, if analyses, several features worth noticing.

Most obvious this plan tends less towards commercializing football because it is not a case of the gate receipts being used or of the team alone making the money. The contributions will have a more voluntary character than round robin tickets. While everyone will have an opportunity to give, the spectators may be expected to contribute according to their ability just like the income tax. The rich banker is not going to buy a whole flock of tickets to any charity football game, nor it is likely, with all our precedents of quotas and pinning, that he would be allowed to do so. But the Wall Street barons who are so prominent in Harvard's alumni lists should think nothing of dropping a hundred dollar bill into the hat when it is passed around.

It must not be forgotten that game crowds tend to be in a slightly exhilarated mood and consequently more disposed than otherwise toward the idea of panting with each. In addition the Harvard supporters will probably give freely if their team is ahead. On the other hand, in such a case those rooting for the other side may hardly be expected to give very much. And vice versa. Thus you can see that the plan has disadvantages also.

If the spectators will contribute only if their team is winning, then it is really up to the teams after all. So we must qualify our earlier statement that it will not be a case of the players making the money. They will have almost as much to do with the receipts as they would in an out and out charity contest. The people would not be there to be milked unless the teams were playing a game. Thus we see that Dartmouth Holy Cross and Yale will be playing two games for charity this year, and Harvard will still ing behind.

If those who go to the three specified matches with Harvard do their bit for unemployment then, it is a serious question whether they will be willing to do even more and attend the round robin when their favorite teams play again. Perhaps Harvard has stolen a march on us. --Yale News